🌹⁹☆•² Redstem Filaree, Common Storksbill (Erodium cicutarium) in Geranium Family (Geraniaceae)

▪︎ Redstem Filaree, Common Storksbill, Heron's-Bill (Erodium cicutarium) in Geranium Family (Geraniaceae) is found in meadows, flood plains, gravel areas, disturbed areas in parts of Himalayas, at altitudes of 700-2200 m.

Erodium comes from word erodios meaning 'heron' referring to shape of plant's fruit which resembles a heron's beak. Specific Epithet cicutarium is derived from Latin 'Cicuta' referring to Hemlock Plant (Conium maculatum) highly poisonous plant in Carrot Family (Apiaceae) & indicates that leaves of resemble those of Hemlock.

Is an annual herb, 4-40 cm long, erect or straggling, velvety, with reddish stems.

Leaves are 2-5 cm long, 8-27 mm wide, pinnately cut, velvety. Segments are pinnately cut into small acute lobes. Stipules are broad lanceshaped-ovate, 2.5-5 mm long, ciliate, velvety.

Flower clusters are carried on 1.5-6.5 cm long stalks. They 2-8-flowered, reflexed in fruit. Sepals are 3-4 mm long, up to 6 mm in fruit, ovate- lanceshaped, glandular-velvety, margin membranous. Petals, scarcely exceeding Sepals, are obovate, Reddish-Purple, wedge-shaped, claw ciliate, apex 1-2-setose. Filaments (of functional Stamens) are 2.5 mm long, base dilated, sparsely velvety. Staminodes are shorter, lanceshaped, hairless. Mericarps are 5.5 mm long, with bristle-like berect Yellow hairs.

Fruit beak is about 4 cm long, which gives plant its common name. Long seed-pod, shaped like bill of a stork, bursts open in a spiral when ripe, sending seeds (which have long tails called awns) into air.

Flowering - June-July
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Seed uses self-dispersal mechanisms to spread away from maternal plant & also reach a good germination site to increase fitness.

Two abilities that has are ¹explosive dispersal, which launches seeds by storing elastic energy & ²self-burial dispersal, where seeds move themselves across soil using hygroscopically powered shape change.

Young leaves are edible raw or cooked. Whole plant is reportedly edible with a flavor similar to sharp Parsley if picked young. Pink flowers are a valuable source of honey (nectar), and also furnish much pollen. Among Zuni people, a poultice (soft moist mass often heated & medicated) of chewed root is applied to sores & rashes & an infusion of root is taken for stomach ache.
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Schizocarpic Fruit is a type of dry fruit that splits into separate one-seeded parts called Mericarps upon maturity. These fruits develop from a single ovary & are characterized by their ability to break apart into individual, indehiscent (not opening to release seeds) segments.
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Redstem Filaree Fruit is a schizocarp that splits into five 1-seeded segments called Mericarps at maturity. These mericarps each have a long, spirally twisted style (beak) attached. Styles are tightly coiled when dry & unwind to help drill seed into soil.
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3 Subspecies
☆ (Erodium cicutarium subsp. cicutarium)
☆ (Erodium cicutarium subsp. dunense)
☆ (Erodium cicutarium subsp. zairae)
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🌹 Clade Superrosids • 105204, 4093 Genera
☆¹⁸ Order Saxifragales • 3302, 127
♤ Clade Rosids • 101902, 3966
○ ☆¹⁷ Order Vitales • 1022, 20
○ ♤ Clade Eurosids • 100880, 3946
● ♤ Clade Fabids • 65417, 2229
● ♤ Clade Malvids • 35463, 1717

♤ Clade Fabids • 65417, 2229
☆¹ Order Zygophyllales • 308, 27
☆² Order Celastrales • 1336, 102
☆³ Order Oxalidales • 2050, 59
☆⁴ Order Malpighiales • 19615, 764
☆⁵ Order Fabales • 24065, 833
☆⁶ Order Rosales • 13015, 298
☆⁷ Order Cucurbitales • 3338, 111
☆⁸ Order Fagales • 1690, 35

♤ Clade Malvids • 35463, 1717
☆⁹ Order Geraniales • 822, 16
☆¹⁰ Order Myrtales • 14931, 387
☆¹¹ Order Crossosomatales • 65, 13
☆¹² Order Picramniales • 52, 4
☆¹³ Order Sapindales • 6844, 486
☆¹⁴ Order Huerteales • 30, 6
☆¹⁵ Order Malvales • 7504, 359
☆¹⁶ Order Brassicales • 5215, 446
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☆⁹ Order Geraniales • 822, 16

•¹ Family Francoaceae • 38, 10
•² Geraniaceae • 784, 6 - Cranesbills, True Geraniums
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•² Family Geraniaceae • 784, 6 Genera - Geranium

▪︎ Genus California • 1 - Roundleaf Stork's Bill
Erodium • 114 - Filarees, Heron's Bill
Geranium • 317 - True Geraniums, Cranesbills
Hypseocharis • 6
Monsonia • 40
Pelargonium • 306 - Geraniums, Pelargoniums, Storksbills
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● Herons have short, dagger-like bills
● Storks have long, heavy & often curved bills
● Cranes have shorter, laterally compressed bills adapted for omnivorous feeding.

These bill shapes are related to their hunting strategies & preferred habitats.
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🦅 Birds - Class Aves

¹⁷ Rails & Cranes - Order Gruiformes
•¹ Family Aramidae - Limpkins
•² Family Gruidae - Cranes ✔️
•³ Family Heliornithidae - Finfoots
•⁴ Family Psophiidae - Trumpters
•⁵ Family Rallidae - Waterhens, Rails, Coots

²⁸ Storks - Order Ciconiiformes ✔️

³⁰ Pelicans, Ibises, Herons - Order Pelecaniformes
•¹ Family Ardeidae - Herons, Egrets, Bitterns ✔️
•² Family Balaenicipitidae - Shoebill
•³ Family Pelecanidae - Pelicans
•⁴ Family Scopidae - Hamerkop
•⁵ Family Threskiornithidae - Spoonbills, Ibises
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